


Ocean Kings

by bluefading



Category: Free!
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Character Development, Deaths, F/M, Fantasy, M/M, Mystery, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Romance, lost! au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-31
Updated: 2017-02-15
Packaged: 2018-05-16 17:40:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5834728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluefading/pseuds/bluefading
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Receiving the flight ticket to Australia was a dream come true; it  was only going to be the beginning of Matsuoka Rin’s rise in his swimming career. For his sister Gou, it was an escape she’d been recently needing. As for Nanase Haruka, well, he wasn't sure what he was hoping to gain from boarding the plane. However, the three, along with other passengers, find themselves lost in a mysterious island after the crash of their flight. They soon discover that the island has its secrets. </p><p>Escape meant solving them. </p><p>Survival meant trusting strangers.</p><p>Falling in love? That has dangers of its own.</p><p><strike>* CANCELED/HIATUS * sorry!</strike> jk</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Haru

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the American t.v show _Lost_.
> 
> (I've only ever seen the pilot episode, though)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“The skies give no warning when they fall.”_  
>  ― Marty Rubin

A knife-like pain shot through Haru’s lower back. It jolted him to a full wake and a sudden awareness.

Everything was green.

Grass crowned Haru’s head and prickled his exposed skin. All else was trees - tall and stalky and intertwining. _Bamboos_ , he recognized, before questioning why he was seeing them.

The man used his elbows to sit himself up. His dark hair, which smelled of ashes and the earth,  fell over his face. A scent of something smoky thinned the thick and moist air that suffocated him. Clearing his throat with several coughs, he looked around for its source, but only saw more green - weeds, unkempt and wild. _Where was he?_ The last thing he could remember was the turbulence that shook the whole plane. It also shook the living soul out of him.

He rubbed his back, finding it bruised and tender. Then he checked for signs of casualty on other parts of his body. Other than a few scratches on his face and limbs, there was no major damage to worry about - except that his back was killing him. Haru stood up, finding that his knees were shaky. After taking a few paces, weaving between the green stalks in his way, the stinging pain in his back began to subside to an annoying sore. At least, he was able to walk with a bit more ease.

Soot covered his hands and clothing. He looked for smoke again, and this time, he saw a dark cloud in the distance that tainted the painfully bright, blue sky. It wasn’t far.

He marched through the trees. The natural sounds of leaves rustling and birds chirping slowly diminished as they were replaced by incoherent shrieks and loud, foreign noises.

Haru ran.

The forest ended, opening a view to a beach. It was a beach in chaos. Plane parts were scattered throughout the length of the shore: shards of glass, giant pieces of the wings broken into unrecognizable shapes, and the engines and seats ripped from the plane, which was now a gaping hole. Men and women were running, screaming, standing still from horror. And blood. Bodies and blood and fire everywhere. It was hard to imagine everything had been so green before.

Haru stepped back.

Roars from the still spinning turbines of the engines filled his ringing ears.

_This was too much._

A woman fell over a small body. _No! My baby!_ Her wails were unbearable. _My baby!_

_This was a dream._

“Help! Over here!” One man cried.

A large piece of the plane had fallen over, pinning someone’s legs underneath.

Haru ran to his side. “Are you alright?” It was a dumb thing to ask, but a sort of comfort came along with the question, like the situation wasn’t all that bad. Like he could fix it.

“I - I think so.” The man’s voice was hoarse from the dry air caused by the fire. “Just need to lift this off” The stranger pushed at the metal pinning him down, and Haru quickly bent down to help him. The metal lifted and fell over to Haru’s side with a _thud_.

The man stared at the chunk of the plane that he was now free of like if he didn’t keep an eye on it, the thing would jump back down on him.

“Thank you,” he finally exhaled. He looked up at Haru, his eyes unfocused. They were intensely purple, like the color of the grapes in Haru's garden when they were fully ripened. There was a chance he’d never see them again.

“My glasses . . .” The stranger groped around the sand beside him.

Glasses. There was no way they would have survived the crash. But just then, Haru noticed something shimmer under a light pile of debris a few feet away from them. The red, plastic frame was surprisingly still in shape, and there wasn’t a single crack on the glass. A small miracle, Haru thought.

“Here, is this it?” He handed the object to him.

The stranger pushed back his short, blue hair and straightened the glasses on his face. “Ahh,” he beamed, like wearing his spectacles was all he needed to recover. He stood up, faced Haru, and made a quick, swift bow. “Thank you, once again.”

Haru turned his head to the side, feeling awkward from the formality. “Don’t mention it.” The words came out mumbled, though he didn’t mean them to.

Maybe the stranger didn’t notice or, more probably, was too grateful to be free and alive, and _seeing_ , that he didn’t seem to mind. “I’m Ryugazaki Rei,” he offered, sensing Haru’s shyness. “But you can call me Rei.”

Now, it was the sudden casualty that made Haru a little uncomfortable.

“Nana-”

“Haru-chan!”

A small-framed body ran into Haru’s back and wrapped its arms around him. He didn’t need to turn around to know whose they came from.

“I’m so glad you’re alive!” The hug tightened, making Haru release an abrupt yelp.

“Ah! Sorry, Haru-chan!” Nagisa screeched. “Are you hurt somewhere?!”

Haru shook his head, not wanting to cause more fuss from his excited friend than needed. “It’s nothing. Just my back.”

“Is it bleeding? Do you need a bandage?” His dilated magenta eyes examined Haru.

“I’m fine. It’s just a small bruise. What about you?” Haru asked, eager to switch the attention away from himself. From the looks of it, Nagisa was more than fine. Around his waist were tools, some makeshift, some Haru recognized easily: a switchblade, a flask, a flashlight, and short, thin rope, all secured together in a tether of what looked like t-shirts. The sleeves of his colorful jersey were rolled up, revealing his arms and hands that were sand-covered and blood-stained. But the blood was clearly not his; his face was unscathed and his posture as stable as ever. Knowing Nagisa, he had probably jumped right into action when he realized he could move a single leg and offer aid.

His friend responded with a hasty nod, shifting his gaze to the man behind him. “What about you, are you okay?” Nagisa asked.

Rei stepped forward to acknowledge the tiny blonde. “Yes, thank you. Your friend here was of great help. Haru-chan, was it?” Realizing his mistake, Rei quickly shook his head. “Ah, no, sorry. I mean, Haru-chan-san.”

A burst of laughter came out of Nagisa. “ _Haru-chan-san_ ,” he repeated.

Rei wasn’t amused. “I’m sorry, but I really do think it’s no time for laughter.”

“But you -” Nagisa began, then remembering the situation they were in, his face straightened, the smile he had wiped clean. “You’re right.” He reached into the crevices of his shirt-belt, Haru was surprised there was still space in there and pulled out rolls of bandages. Nagisa handed one each to the other two. “You might need these.” He let out a huff like he’d been standing in place for far too long.

“Let’s go help our people out,” he claimed with a sort of grin.

 

Nagisa had said it had been hours since the plane crash. Almost four, when he had found Haru, and yet, the beach was still fresh of hysteria and the survivors not knowing what to do with themselves. The three made their way around the shore for another two, trying to soothe any injuries they could (which Haru had nearly no experience in) before people began putting the fire out. Haru was glad. Even with the setting sun, sweat stuck to every pore of his skin and unpleasantly trickled down his forehead.

One of the men putting out the fires caught Haru’s attention. He had brown hair, green eyes, and muscles that looked built to be a fireman’s. He was too young, though. Maybe only Haru’s age. The man had helped a child who had been stuck inside the plane from her seat belt tangling around her. Together, they found her father, one of the injured, but alive. As the child was embraced by familiar arms, Haru saw the obvious relief in the helper’s eyes. His smile covered his whole face, and for a moment, Haru was left a little stricken. Then the man returned to putting out fires and disappeared as he traveled further down the shore.

Order began taking place. Haru realized it was because someone had taken lead, telling others what had to be done. First, make sure no one else is buried under rubble, then help the injured; get them away from the wreckage, which was still falling apart; put out the fire; salvage anything useful: radios, food, batteries, first aid. Make shelter. Get a proper fire started. The night might be cold. Those coconuts there should have water in them. Put aside the dead.

The name _Captain Mikoshiba_ gets thrown around. Most likely the pilot, Haru figured.

After the last ray of sun had hidden behind the ocean, the atmosphere cooled around those left on the beach. Many still grieved in silence, either walking around aimlessly or sitting beside their unbreathing loved ones, tears long dried on their faces. Others, Haru could tell, only grieved for themselves. The damned situation they were in. He couldn’t blame them. Taking this trip was a mistake - he should’ve stayed in Tokyo.

The majority, however, had gathered the mental strength to make do with what they could. They hadn’t traveled with loved ones and were just grateful to be alive, with youthful adrenaline running through them from today’s event.

It wasn’t surprising. Most aboard the plane were college students like Haru, swimmers and other athletes that were given a chance to compete at an elite event in Australia. Those who were chosen to go were given free round-trip tickets. It was supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to show off whatever skills you possessed to the most prestigious sports teams.

You have to go, Nagisa had insisted. _You can’t let your talent go to waste._

Soft echoes of laughter could be heard from where the bonfire was made and a crowd was gathered in planning, led by the mysterious Captain Mikoshiba. Nagisa and Rei decided to join in, and Haru was relieved when they didn’t force him to go along. Exhausted, he sat himself on the sand, away from all the commotion.

Sprays from the crashing waves soothed the tension he’d been carrying. He hung his head, allowing his hair hide him from the world.

Worried that horror images of the crash would come rushing back to him, Haru didn’t let himself close his eyes. Instead, he stared at his hands.

They were shaking. They weren’t his.

Grime and strangers’ blood lined his darkened fingernails. Cuts and bruises painted his palms like surreal artwork. The only time Haru’s hands were covered in anything was when those things were dusts of flour or oils and pastels.

He released a sigh. Haru didn’t want to admit it, but the sore on his lower back had grown. He took off his shirt to examine it. A giant, purple bruise lay gawking at him. It was bigger than the size of his fist.

“Is everything alright?”

The question came from beside him. Haru glanced up to find the man from before - the one who saved the girl, the fireman - looking down at him.

“I’m fine!” Haru exclaimed, cursing the sand for not allowing any warning of approaching human footsteps. Embarrassed from his outburst and lack of upper clothing, which was unusual, because being half naked didn’t often bother him around people, he grabbed his shirt and slipped it on. If he could’ve, he would’ve stripped long ago and jumped into the ocean, but that wouldn’t have been appropriate and -

“It’s okay. I’m not going to bite.” A light chuckle stumbled from the fireman-guy’s lips. Somehow, Haru knew it wasn’t because he was laughing at him, but because the stranger was nervous, too. Well, everyone would be. They’d all just survived a plane crash and were stuck in the middle of nowhere with people they didn’t know a single thing about. Of course, he was nervous. Of course, this was the reason Haru’s heart was beating a little too fast.

Haru cleared his throat, and tried at a dismissive laughter. “Right. I know.” He turned his head to the side, away from the eyes of his company. His hands had steadied, but his face was heating. He wished he was submerged deep in the cold ocean.

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to pry, but the bruise on your back .  . .” The man hesitated for a moment, unsure. “Would you like me to help you? If you don’t treat it, the swelling could get worse.”

Haru took in a breath of cool air, turning towards the fireman-guy, and nodded his head - only because his back was killing him.

Fireman-guy smiled. It made the corners of his eyes crinkle.

“Great.” He reached into the pocket of his jeans, pulling out a white bandage. “I got this from this kind man, Nagisa-kun? I think I saw him with you earlier helping out with the injured.”

Haru wasn’t sure how to respond, so he only nodded.

Fireman-guy looked to accept this as a more than enough response. He walked over to the shore, dipping the bandage in the water. Then he settled himself behind Haru.

“Could you lift up your shirt?” He asked.

Haru clutched the hem of his shirt in his hands, bending over slightly so that his lower back was more accessible to the stranger.

A cold sensation caressed his skin as the bandage was laid atop his bruise. He could also feel warm, firm fingers pressing along his side. There was a short silence between them before the stranger spoke again.

“My name’s Tachibana Makoto,” he said.

Introductions were never a favorite of Haru’s. One, because he liked keeping to himself; he never really bothered with gaining new friends, and only concerned himself with the ones he already had. And two, because he hated his name.

“Nanase . . .” Haru paused, more embarrassed than ever over his girly first name.“Haruka” he finished, closing his eyes to wait for the inevitable.

“Haruka.” Tachibana echoed. There was awe in the way he said it. It wasn’t what Haru was expecting at all. “I’m sorry. Do you mind if I call you that?”

Still bewildered, Haru stuttered. “Ha-Haru’s fine.”

“Haru.” His name sounded different coming from Tachibana. It was the certain way that he said it, firm but fluttering. An ocean wave breaking into mist. “Then, you can call me Makoto.”

Finished with the treatment, Makoto got up to greet Haru once again. “Nice to meet you,” he chimed. Makoto’s head was tilted slightly to the side, a genuine delight lighting his face. Bangs fell over his right eye. His hair wasn’t as straight as Haru’s, but neither was it curly. It reminded him of the color of brown sugar. Sometimes, he’d sprinkle a bit into the pan when he fried mackerel. The sweetness added a nice contrast to the salted fish.

Haru’s stomach grumbled. From everything that had happened, he didn’t realize he hadn’t eaten since he’d boarded the plane.

“Hungry? I’ve got -” Makoto’s words halted as his attention was caught by something past Haru.

“I have to find her!”

The shouting came from a man who stomped across the beach behind them. He yelled out a name over and over again. Even in the dark, Haru could make out fiery, red eyes and hair just as savage and flaming. But it wasn’t those features that made him terrifying. It was his teeth. Each seemed to be carved to a fine point, like made for hunting prey. _Who would do that to themselves?_

Another followed the enraged male. “Rin,” the newcomer began. “We’ve already been looking for hours. It’s too dark, now. I promise, we’ll find her tomorrow.”

“It could be too late tomorrow, dammit!” the madman retorted. “I’m going in. Don’t try to stop me.”

He headed towards the forest, kicking sand behind him as he continued, but soon stumbled forward to find his face laid flat on the sand. The calmer of the two had caught up to the other and pinned him to the ground. He was only slightly taller and not much bigger in muscle size, but was able to hold down the squirming guy under a solid grip.

“Your stupid bravery isn’t going to do anything for her.”

“Get off me!”

“This is for your own good,” he insisted. The taller had sunset-colored hair, slicked back to reveal his stern expression.

When it was clear that any struggling he did wouldn’t free him, the madman relinquished. “Fine,” he breathed out. “We’ll do it your way, _Captain_.” The name was meant to be an obvious mock, but Captain Mikoshiba, who Haru now guessed was, ignored it.

The captain stumbled back as he released the madman. Holding him down must have taken more effort than it had looked. The other got up, brushing off the sand on his clothing. He kept his head lowered, like he was embarrassed to face his acquaintance.

“It’s not stupid bravery.” His words were breathless as he choked them out. Haru wondered if he was crying. “I just want my sister back.”

When he finally lifted his head, the captain had disappeared. Matching the shape of the madman's mouth, was a hole in the sand where Captain Mikoshiba had been standing.


	2. Rin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep."_  
>  — Robert Frost

What Rin hated the most about airplanes wasn’t the paper taste of its instant-cooked meals nor the lack of personal space it provided, but it was the perpetual buzzing of its engines. The sound was distinctly different from a car engine’s and inside a giant, hollow machine, it made it feel as if you were drowned underwater. Rin loved being in the water, but not being held under it. Of course, something as insignificant as that discomfort didn’t stop him from flying to Australia. Heck, not even a bullet to the chest would. All he needed was his arms and legs, anyway.

From beside him, Rin could hear Gou talking through his earphones.

“They remind me of Auntie’s rice field,” she noted. Her burgundy hair was tied back like usual, her fringe sweeping over her eyes when she turned to her brother for confirmation.

“Right?”

The air conditioner blew irritatingly on Rin’s face as he leaned forward for a glance at the window. “Sure,” he said in an attempt to humor her. He fixed the direction of the A/C and went back to reading his magazine.

“ _They do_ ,” Gou insisted. “See how the lines on the clouds look like the grooves - _hello?_ ” Gou pulled on Rin’s headphones then let go, snapping it back on Rin’s ear.

Rin brushed his sister’s hand off. “Gou, what the hell.”

“ _Kou_ ,” she corrected to get under his nerves. “Pay attention to me.”

“Just sit still and read this.” He pulled out another magazine from his bag and handed it to her.

“I can’t. I’m way too excited. We’ve been sitting here for _six_ hours and I just want to land already. Plus,” Gou held the magazine with both hands, admiring the male swimsuit model on the cover, “I’ve read this twice, front and back. Did you know that the breaststroke helps condition injured shoulders?”

“Mmhm.”

“I did,” Mikoshiba Seijuro piped in. The captain of Tokyo University’s top swim team flopped onto the aisle seat beside Rin. “That’s why these babies stay strong and healthy.” He brushed back his hair to obviously show off his bicep as his arm folded over.

Rin rolled his eyes and straightened his headphones. “How the fuck did I get stuck in between you two.”

“Luck,” Seijuro purred.

“Shut up and move your leg over. There’s hardly any spa - _ah._ ” A sudden jolt from the plane made Rin release a small yelp.

Seijuro laughed. “Wow, Rin, didn’t know you could be so cute.”

The captain was met with a death glare. “Or lethal,” he added, adjusting himself on the seat for his junior.

Although the captain was a year older than Rin, the two had met and become friends in Tokyo before knowing each other’s statuses, which made the _senpai_ and _kohai_ positions blurred between them. Rin had only discovered a month later when he started his first semester at the University, that Seijuro had already been attending for a year. Three years passed, and now Rin was a year away from graduation and Seijuro was captain of their swim team. They became close as friends, studied and went to drinking parties together, making Rin unafraid of being a bit more blunt towards him than compared to his other seniors.

Rin sneered at the thought of _luck_. It wasn’t something he believed in. Getting this flight ticket to Australia to compete with some of the best swimmers in the world couldn’t be reduced down to luck. No, it was from all the hard work he’d done: staying up late, waking up before the sunrise to run, practicing again and again. Now he was here. This was it. He was so close, he could almost taste victory.

Another turbulence rocked the plane.

“Man, it’s been a pretty bumpy ride. I wonder if everything’s okay.” Seijuro looked ahead to the door leading to the pilot's’ cabin as if someone would come walking over to answer his question.

Just then, the intercom opened with a _click_.

 _Ladies and gentlemen, we’re experiencing some minor turbulence. Please kindly fasten your seatbelts . . ._ The woman speaking continued with reviewing over the safety protocols, ending with a thank you and an assurance that everything was under control.

Rin checked on Gou, who he knew had probably discounted the warning of the announcement, her stubborn backbone, a characteristic Rin himself admittingly also carried, telling her that nothing could go wrong at a time like this.

Gou was gazing out the window. The rows of clouds outside had dissipated into thin layers of white sheets. Her fingers were curled around the magazine a little too tightly. Rin was suddenly concerned.

“Hey, Gou, you okay?”

There was no immediate response. Then, she shook her head sluggishly, like her head was weighed down, too heavy to let her answer in any other way.

“Onee-chan,” she began, her voice significantly softer than before, “do you ever get that feeling in your stomach that makes you want to throw up?”

“Flight sickness?”

“No.”

Rin didn’t like what she was implying, so he decided to quickly answer her question to calm her down. “Yeah, ‘course I do. I get that feeling all the time when I’m on the edge of the diving board, just before plummeting down and slicing through the water. But, the feeling goes away when I think about what’s waiting at the end.”

She turned to him. She had on a face that Rin hardly ever saw her wear. The only time he could clearly remember her having it on was when they found out about their father’s death . . .

He unfurled Gou’s fingers from the magazine and squeezed her hand with his. “Gou?”

“What’s waiting?” She asked.

“The crowd cheering,” Rin smiled, though her contagious nerves were now also getting to him, and he could feel a slight twinge at the corner of his lips. “I’ve ridden planes _a thousand times_. Everything’s going to be fine,” he assured her. Everything was going to be okay.

Gou nodded, taking in a deep breath and straightening herself on the seat. Her matching crimson eyes met her brother’s, and she returned his smile. “You’re right. I guess it’s just the jitters from riding an airplane for the first time. I’m a little scared of heights too, to be honest.”

Rin felt relief wash over him. He squeezed her hand once more. “We’ll be landing in no time. Just hold on.”

 

໐ ♛ ໐

 

“Hold on!” An unfamiliar voice yelled.

Before Rin was a perfectly shaped, hollow circle. Seijuro was hanging on by a protruding branch inside the groundless pit, and a man was leaning over it trying to reach him. Rin rushed to the stranger’s side.

“Sei, try to grab my hand.”

Seijuro strained. “I can’t - can’t reach.”

Quick on his feet, the man beside Rin jumped up and began pulling at giant vines loosely draped around the trees in the forest. Another man ran towards him to help. They dragged a vine, still connected to a tree, to the pit.

“See if this can reach him,” the first man said.

Rin quickly took the end of the vine, which was surprisingly thick and heavy, and they lowered it down to Seijuro. He grabbed it, and the three heaved him onto flat ground.

Seijuro kissed the sand in joy. “Thank you. I’m alive,” he mumbled into it.

A laugh slipped Rin’s lips. He was feeling a little delirious. There were wild monkeys running around inside his head, uncontrollably banging and screeching. “You should be thanking _us_ , idiot.”

For the first time, Rin looked closely at the other two men who had helped them. One had brown hair and was quite well built. The other man was slightly shorter and slimmer with hair as dark as the night. It was a good thing there was a full moon out, or else they wouldn’t have been able to see a thing.

Seijuro was on his feet, thanking the two. “If there’s anything I can do for you, just let me know. My name’s Mikoshiba Seijuro.”

“Feel free to call him _Captain_ ,” Rin interjected. He couldn’t help the bitterness that lined his tongue.

“Rin. Now’s not the time. Don’t you know that could have been you? What if I’d let you go into the forest on your own, who would’ve been there you if you’d fallen? Or attacked by some creature? How would you have helped Gou then?”

Rin could feel tears welling in his eyes. He was speechless because he knew Seijuro was right, but what else was he supposed to do? Wait, and leave Gou on her own in this godforsaken place until something terrible happened to her? What if something already had?

Seeing the rising panic in Rin, Seijuro softened his voice. “I promise, Rin, we’ll send a search party out tomorrow.”

Then he paused, ripping his gaze from Rin to the forest. It was vast and green. So green and tangled and _alive_. Rin swore he could hear the trees breathing.

“You’re not the only one who’s worried you know,” Seijuro finally spoke again.

Rin had known for some time that his friend had feelings for his sister, but neither he nor Gou acknowledged it. Most of the time, it seemed like Seijuro was only hitting on Gou to pass time, but now, looking at his troubled profile, Rin knew that had never been the case. Knowing how Seijuro felt eased Rin. He punched him lightly on the shoulder. This time, it was Rin's turn to offer comfort.

“You’re right. As soon as morning breaks, we’ll leave. And find her.”

Seijuro smiled. “Yes, Captain.”

 

Back at the bonfire, the passengers of the flight had fallen asleep. Most of them, anyways. There were still others whose eyes wouldn’t close, the screams, the crash and deaths replaying in their mind over and over again like a broken record that wouldn’t relent. Rin was one of those people. He kept his eyes steady on the ocean waves that rose and crashed. It was mocking him, he thought. Someone was kind enough to offer him an extra blanket. He tugged on it, wrapped himself in what little of the thin fabric could cover him, and pretended he was back in his own bed.

Rin didn’t think it would, but sleep came to him. He woke up to the sound of the sea. His eyelids were heavy from dried tears, and his head and body ached in a way he hadn’t felt in a long time. It was still dark, but Rin knew it wouldn’t be long before dawn. In the distance, he saw a body in the ocean. Rin’s heart flipped. He ran to the shore, ready to jump in and save the person, but realized that the person was fine. He was swimming.

No, not just swimming. It was like his body was a part of the ocean like the waves were mere extensions of his arms and legs.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?”

Rin jumped. Standing beside him was a short, blonde boy. No, maybe he was older. Rin couldn’t tell.

“That’s my friend, Haru,” the blonde continued, smiling.

Haru. The name sounded familiar, then Rin realized he was one of the guys who had helped Seijuro last night. The one with the dark hair.

“A swimmer?” Rin asked though he didn’t really have to. He’d have to be blind to not know the man had his mind set on Olympic Swimming like he was.

“Yup, but I pretty much had to force him into getting on the plane with me.” The smile faded from the blonde. “I wish I hadn’t, though.”

“That’s ridiculous. I can tell even from here how talented your friend is. Of course, you had to. I’d have done the same thing.” Then, he thought of his sister. No, no maybe he wouldn’t have. Not if he knew their plane would crash.

“Thanks,” he chirped, face washed off of the sadness from earlier, almost like Rin had imagined it. “I want to think I did the right thing. By the way, my name’s Nagisa Hazuki.”

“Nice to meet you Nagisa. I’m Matsuoka Rin,” Rin introduced, his gaze falling on Haru again like a magnet. “Have you been friends for long?”

“With Haru? Yeah, since we were kids. He’s always been a bit of a loner, though. I think he finally gave in to being my friend after sticking onto him for so long. I can be pretty persistent, you know?” Nagisa gave Rin a little nudge.

Rin wasn’t surprised to hear that. He could tell the little man had a way of making the people around him feel as if they’d known each other for ages.

“Why didn’t your friend, um, Haru, want to go compete in the Australian games?” It felt weird calling the guy by his first name, but he couldn’t recall his family name. What was weirder, was that he found himself wanting to know more about him. This man who could command the ocean.

The question silenced Nagisa, and Rin worried he’d asked something too personal.

“Ah, you don’t have to answer that question.” Rin scratched the back of his head, making sand come falling from his hair like rain. He would kill for a bath.

“No, it’s not that I don’t want to,” Nagisa began, “It’s more like I don’t know _how_. Even I can’t understand him, sometimes. It’d be nice if he could find someone who does. Or at least someone to talk to about it. He says he likes to be alone, but I don’t know. I think he still gets lonely.”

Rin didn’t know how to answer. He felt like fell into a conversation he had no right being in. Nagisa clearly noticed.

“What about you, Rin-chan? You’re a swimmer too, right? I can tell from your muscles.”

“Yeah, I swim butterfly and free.”

“Neat. I do breaststroke.” Nagisa swung his arms around, rolling his shoulders enthusiastically in a demonstration. Suddenly, Rin remembered the conversation he had with Gou only hours ago. His stomach recoiled. He shouldn’t be here staring out into the ocean. He needed to be in the forest looking for her.

“So, what are your plans for today?”

Rin grimaced, almost laughing at the question; it was as if it was just another fucking ordinary day, and they were looking for something to pass their time.

“Look for my sister,” he finally answered.

“I’ll help,” Nagisa declared. Then: “I have sisters, too.”

They heard the clamor of people behind them. As expected, Seijuro was in the center of the waking crowd giving orders. Most of the passengers of the flight were college students, but even those older were taken by Seijuro’s commanding voice. At first, it was only his swim team calling him by Captain, but by now everyone on the flight had adopted the title for him. Wood was being added to the fire again, more supplies were being salvaged and known edibles gathered. Normally, people wouldn’t be awake so early, but sleeping now seemed wasteful. Plus, the stiff, uneven sand didn’t exactly leave them begging for extra shuteye.

“Oh, hey Haru. How was your swim?” Nagisa asked, opening the space between him and Rin to let Haru join them. His friend was in his swimsuit, and Rin wondered how he’d managed to find the time to uncover his luggage. Then he entertained the idea of someone actually wearing his swimsuit with them during a plane ride. Ridiculous.

“Wet.”

Nagisa nodded like this was a nuanced response.

Rin hadn’t noticed before, but Haru’s eyes were impossibly blue. He nodded in his direction, and Rin responded in a similar gesture.

“Thanks again for last night,” Rin offered.

“I didn’t really do much,” Haru admitted. “It was Makoto who thought of using the vines.”

“Haru!” Nagisa exclaimed. “ _Who’s Makoto?_ ”

He leaned in towards Haru like he was about to hear the gossip of a lifetime.

“No one,” Haru defended. It was the first time Rin was seeing emotion on his face.

“There you are,” Seijuro’s voice boasted. “Time to go. Before sunrise, right?”

Tailing him was a group of guys, none of which Rin recognized except for one: Makoto. Rin glanced at Haru to gauge his reaction, but his face from earlier had been wiped clean.

“What’s this?” Rin asked.

“Search party. We can’t go out there on our own.”

“Fine. Nagisa, you wanted to come along too, right?”

He nodded then turned to his friend. “Haru?”

Haru opened his mouth to quickly refuse the invite, but Rin saw his eyes dart at Makoto and he could tell his mind changed.

“Okay. I’ll go.”

“Really? Yay, it’ll be an adventure!”

“No, it won’t,” Seijuro and Rin said at the same time.

“We’re only going out there to look for my sister,” Rin started.

“And to see if we run into any help along the way.” Seijuro leveled his eyes with Rin, daring him to argue with him on this. When Rin stayed silent, he continued. “There’s no sign of any tall buildings, so this place looks undeveloped for the most part. If we do see people, they’ll most likely be natives with a different language and different customs, so be cautious. Everyone should stick to the group. Besides people, we don’t know what else could be out there.”

They packed essentials, making sure to leave plenty for the rest on the beach. Seijuro unofficially appointed a guy with wild, brown hair and another with silky silver to take the lead while he was gone.

“The most important thing is to keep everyone safe,” he told them. At first, Rin thought he was referring to the surprises of the island like the hole that appeared out of nowhere, but Seijuro continued. “Almost everyone here is a young, adrenaline-crazed college kid. Fights are bound to start if they start to get too bored or too hot or . . .” He gestured for the two to look around. The majority of the people on the island were men. “Pent up. The best thing to do is to try to keep everyone busy, even if with just small tasks like stoking the fire. With that being said, make sure to keep the fire going. We don’t know when another plane might fly over.”

A young girl had wandered into their conversation and she tugged at Seijuro’s shirt to catch his attention.

“Should I make a giant S.O.S. sign to help signal the planes, too?” Her round eyes reminded Rin of Gou.

His legs shook from anticipation. How much longer was Seijuro going to take?

“I think that’s a great idea,” Seijuro said, and the girl smiled in reply, running off to look for a tool to write with. The beach was her playground.

First light began to drown the leaves of the trees in orange. Rin could now see just how neverending the forest was. It lined the entire edge of the beach and expanded deep into the island. In a way, it was beautiful, but as Rin took his first step onto its soil, he felt the air change. The temperature dropped so quickly, he felt it bite his bones. What if Gou wasn’t even in here? Maybe they should turn back and check for her again at the beach.

The group was quiet, taking in their new surroundings. They could hear the echoes of birds and frogs and grasshoppers and the sounds of their footsteps disturbing the foliage. Their silence was loud.

Then the forest screamed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok, i'm kinda embarrassed to be updating since it's been over a year since i posted the first chapter but i'm so gay for this right now i hope you guys enjoyed it
> 
> Next chapter we'll focus on Gou & meet Sousuke! also try to get some shit started ~~See you guys again next year~~


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